title: Impact of HPV status on treatment of squamous cell cancer of the oropharynx: what we know and what we need to know.
abstract: Studies report an increasing incidence of oropharyngeal cancers linked to infection by human papillomavirus (HPV). We reviewed trials assessing outcomes by HPV DNA status in patients with locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer. Seven of the eight studies identified showed significantly better survival in patients with HPV DNA-positive tumors vs. HPV DNA-negative tumors. The review also describes what needs to be defined regarding optimal treatments. Future trials should incorporate HPV DNA status as a risk determinant and explore treatments for high-risk patients needing therapy intensification, and low- and intermediate-risk patients needing treatment de-intensification to improve tolerability, without compromising survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. tribius@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tribius
authors.forename: Anna S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ihloff
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rieckmann
authors.forename: Cordula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D011878:Radiotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents